The Afrocentric, or African-centered, worldview is very different from the Eurocentric, or Europe-centered, worldview. Afrocentrism is centered around the beliefs that: The highest value of life lies in the interpersonal relationships between humans; One gains knowledge through symbolic imagery and rhythm; One should live in harmony with nature; There is a oneness between humans and nature; The survival of the group holds the utmost importance; Humans should appropriately utilize the materials around them; One’s self is complementary to others; Change occurs in a natural, evolutionary cycle; Spirituality and inner divinities hold the most significance; There are a plethora of deities to worship; Cooperation, collective responsibility, and interdependence are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; All humans are considered to: be equal, share a common bond, and be a part of the group; The Afrocentric worldview is a circular one, in which all events are tied together with one another.
The Eurocentric worldview or eurocentrically is centered around the beliefs that: The highest value of life lies in the object, or in the acquisition of the object; One gains knowledge through counting and measuring; One should control and dominate nature; There is a dichotomy, or separateness, between nature and man; The survival of the fittest holds the utmost importance; Men should have an unlimited exploitation of the materials around them; One’s self is distinct from others; Change occurs to meet the immediate objectives, and is quite arbitrary; A distant, impersonal god holds the most significance; There is only one supreme deity to worship; Competition, independence, separateness, and individual rights are the key values to which all should strive to achieve; All men are considered to be individualistic, unique, and different; The Eurocentric worldview is a linear one, in which all events are separate and there is no togetherness.
